Guwahati: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Wednesday said the state government was exploring the possibility of setting up Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) in all 58 development blocks to widen access to quality education for Scheduled Tribe students, especially in remote and rural areas.
Speaking at an official programme, Saha said the government had prioritised strengthening educational infrastructure for tribal communities and ensuring that quality schooling reached the grassroots. He said the EMRS scheme, funded by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, played a key role in providing residential education to tribal children and supporting their progression to higher studies.
The chief minister said Tripura had only four EMRSs before the Bharatiya Janata Party assumed office in the state in 2018. Since then, the Centre has approved 21 such schools for Tripura, of which 12 are currently functioning. He added that two more EMRSs were scheduled to become operational by March 2026.
Saha said the state’s long-term vision was to establish an EMRS in every block so that tribal students across Tripura could avail themselves of the benefits of the scheme. He said he raised the issue during his recent visit to New Delhi and urged the Centre to relax the existing eligibility norms for setting up the schools.
Under the present guidelines, a block must have at least 50 per cent tribal population and a minimum tribal population of 20,000 to qualify for an EMRS. The chief minister said he had strongly requested the Centre to ease these criteria to facilitate the establishment of more schools in the state.
Expressing confidence, Saha said he hoped the Centre would take a favourable decision, which would significantly enhance Tripura’s efforts to promote inclusive and equitable education for tribal communities.